How Are You Coping with Uncertainty?

I really like this article. If nothing else, the topic is so important but the majority of the population never think of reality in terms of certain or uncertain to notice any changes in quantity. Yes chaos is taking over and some of us feel it.

When I quit my job last fall, the economic crisis was already upon us, so I knew I was throwing myself headlong into a churning sea of uncertainty. People were using phrases like “weathering the storm,” “ride it out,” and “a tough period” — all implying that this, too, shall pass. And of course, in a strict sense, it will pass, because even big economic downturns don’t last forever.

But as someone who deliberately turned my life upside down more than six months ago, I believe we’ve entered a new era, one of permanent uncertainty in which waiting for serenity to return is a fool’s wish. There are simply too many varieties of crisis looming for the passing of a recession to feel like a rescue. The sheer number of people on the planet almost guarantees a high frequency of major public health challenges. The effects of climate change, even if the most aggressive plans to curb carbon emissions are implemented, promise an indefinite series of high-impact environmental events, many of which (such as significant coastal flooding) have not been adequately planned for. And the list goes on.

The reaction of most people has been to ignore these realities, as they can be depressing to contemplate. A smaller but substantial number of folks are overreacting; I know several educated professionals, for example, who are buying guns, hoarding antibiotics, or stockpiling gold coins. I find both types of responses — denial on the one hand, paranoia on the other — to be chilling. But instead of merely dismissing them as immoderate, I’d rather figure out a way to bring both sides toward the middle.

The extreme responses of inaction and paranoia cannot be moderated for more than a very short time by frequent use of the word “hope” and calmly delivered advice not to panic, important as those elements are. A more practical approach is to acknowledge plainly and openly that crisis is here to stay and that living with it day in and day out need not feel like doom. The responsibility for initiating such conversations belongs, in part, to leaders in government, business, and elsewhere, but it also belongs to average folks — both are navigating these rough waters.

So, what specifically can regular people do? Well, for starters, we can talk frankly about the dangers and challenges we face. And we can embrace the excitement that comes with re-equipping ourselves, both materially and psychologically, to anticipate and respond deftly to changing circumstances. Strike up conversations — even at work, where politics is supposed to be taboo — that involve authentic give and take about tough topics, not just social gossip that keeps real issues safely at arm’s length. Seek to genuinely clarify matters; ask people what they mean, what sources they’re using to get their information.

There’s no need to rudely interrogate your friends and coworkers, of course. Good humor, social graces, and genuine curiosity do a lot to reduce people’s discomfort with difficult subjects. Displaying the courage to get at the heart of issues that affect everyone, but that most folks are grappling with quietly, is naturally infectious. Once people get a taste of honest, good-natured, substantive discussion that doesn’t come with an agenda, they tend to find it addictive. And once leaders detect a widespread interest in and demand for that type of dialogue, they recognize it’s in their interest to engage in it. In times like ours, those at headquarters are often the ones waiting for orders from their people, not the other way around.

When the world seems like it’s fraying, the healthiest and most restorative response is to boldly enter the fracas with an open mind and razor-sharp curiosity. The very audacity of the act teaches you how to embrace the unknown. In that way, you can make permanent uncertainty a sustainable way of life in almost any context (no need to quit your job like I did). But constant crisis is the reality of now — a positive reality whose only doomsday potential lies in its being ignored or grossly overblown. Stare it in the face soberly and adapt accordingly, with humor and a smile.

What about you? How are you — or your company — handling the uncertainty today?